Push toy

ABSTRACT

A HAND BY INCLUDING AN ELONGATED HANDLE PROVIDED WITH A HANDGRIP END PORTION AT ONE END AND A BIFURCATED END PORTION AT THE OTHER END INCLUDING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED FURCATIONS WHOSE OPPOSING SURFACS ARE PLANAR AND PARALLEL. AM ELONGATED AXLE MEMBER HAS ITS MID-PORTION PIVOTALLY SECURED BETWEEN THE FURCATIONS FOR OSCILLATION ABOUT AN AXIS DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES RELATIVE TO THE ELONGATED HANDLE AND THE AXLE MEMBER AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE FURCATIONS. A PAIR OF WHEELS ARE JOURNALLED ON THE OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF THEAXLE MEMBER FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS GENERALLY COINCIDING WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE AXLE MEMBER.

Nov. 30, 1971 s. SAPIENZA 3,623,264

PUSII TOY Filed Aug. 25, 1970 Salva/are Sapienza IN VENTOK.

WW E

Anomr ys United States Patent O 3,623,264 PUSH TOY Salvatore Sapienza, 171% Garden St., Lawrence, Mass. 01840 Filed Aug. 25, 1970, Sex. No. 66,742 Int. Cl. A63h 33/02 U.S. Cl. 46-205 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ha-nd toy including an elongated handle provided with a handgrip end portion at one end and a bifurcated end portion at the other end including a pair of laterally spaced furcations whose opposing surfaces are planar and parallel. An elongated axle member has its mid-portion pivotally secured between the furcations for oscillation about an axis disposed at right angles relative to the elongated handle and the axle member and extending between the furcations. A pair of wheels are journalled on the opposite end portions of the axle member for rotation about an axis generally c oinciding with the longitudinal axis of the axle member.

The push toy of the instant invention has been designed for use by small children ranging in age from the time they are first able to walk nntil they are four or more yearsof age. The push toy is constructed of a minimum number of components and from componente which may be readily fabricated and marketed at a low cost.

Not only may the instant invention be utilized as a push toy but it may also be incorporated into the manufacture of a wheeled vehicle suitable for riding by children and utilizing the instant invention as at least one steerable axle of the riding vehicle.

The push toy is constructed in a manner whereby it may be inverted with no change in its operation and it may further be constructed in a manner whereby the oscillatory movement of the axle member thereof may be limited as desired.

Stil] further, the elongated handle portion of the push toy as well as the axle member thereof may be constructed in various shapes so as to simulate body portions of animals or the like and the wheels of the push toy may be either of the conventional disk-type or in the form of spherical hall members, as desired.

In addition to the above mentioned variations in construction, the handle portion of the push toy may be provided with a bulbous enlargement having arrow-type indicia marked thereon to indicate that the handle portion may be oscillated in opposite directions about its longitudinal axis in order to cause the axle member of the push toy to be oscillated and the handle end of the handle member may be provided with handgrips of any desirable shape.

The main object of this invention is to provide a novel push toy and one which may be utilized by small children from the time they are first able to walk until they are four or more years of age.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a push toy whose various components may assume dilferent shapes without altering the operation of the push toy.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerate herein is to provide a push toy which Will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that Will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

3,623,264 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 These together with other objects and advantages which Will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the push toy;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the push toy as seen from the left side thereof and with an alternate position of the handle portion thereof illustrated in phantom lnes;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower end of the elongated handle portion of the push toy with portions of the handle member and axle member supporting pivot pin broken away and illustrated in secton;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the push toy with an alternate oscillated position of the axle member thereof illustrated in phantom lines; and

FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of the push toy illustrating the manner in which the handgrip end portion of the handle member may be oscillated to a position disposed to the right side of the path of movement of the push toy defined between the wheels thereof.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numerial 10 generally designates the push toy of the instant invention. The push toy 10 includes an elongated handle member 12 which is generally rectangular in crosssectional shape and has a diametrically enlarged bulbous portion 14 adjacent its upper handgrip end.

The lower end of the handle member 12 is bifurcated so as to define a pair of upper and lower laterally spaced furcations 16 and 18 and the central portion of an clongated axle member 20 is pivotally secured between the furcations 16 and 18 by means of any suitable pivot pin or fastener 22.

The opposite end portions of the axle member 20 include integra] endwise outwardly projecting axle pin portions 24 upon whose inner ends thrust washers 26 are disposed. A pair of disk-type wheels 28 are journalled on the axle pin portions 24 outwardly of the thrust washer 26 and combined thrust washer and hub nuts 30 are secured on the outermost ends of the axle pin portions 24 in order to retain the wheels 28 thereon.

The confronting surfaces of the furcations 16 and 18 are planar and generally parallel and the confronting surfaces of the mid-portion of the axle member 20 are planar and generally parallel and disposed in surface to surface sliding engagement with the opposing surfaces of the furcations 16 and 18. The pivot fastener 22 may be of any suitable removable or non-removable type.

In constr-ucting the push toy 10, the handle member 12 and axle member 20 may be constructed of any suitable material such as wood, lightweight metal or plastic and the disk-type wheels 28 may be replaced by spherical wheel members, in which case the axle pin portions 24 must be of greater axial extent.

From FIG. 3 of the drawings it Will be noted that a shoulder 32 is defined between the base end of the furcations 16 and 18. The opposite ends of the shoulder 32 are engageable by the opposite end portions of the axle member 20 in order to lirnit oscillation of the latter and the free ends of the furcations 16 and 18 maybe slightly extended and a bracing member may be rigidly secured between the extended free ends of the furcations 16 and 18 at any point spaced therealong, if desired, in order to define a further abutrnent for limiting oscillation of the axle member 20. I-Iowever, such extended furcations must terminate before their length reaches that length which would enable either of the extended furcations to contact the ground or surface over which the wheels 28 are rolling.

The bulbous enlargement 14 h-as arrow-type indicia 34 thereon indicating that the handle member 12 may be oscillated about its longitudinal ax'is in order to cause oscillation of the axle member 20 relative to the handle member 12 and therefore steerage of the push toy 10.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings it may be seen that the handle member 12 is readily swung between variously inclined positions thereby readily adapting the push top for operating by both small and large children. Still further, from FIG. 5 of the drawings, it may be seen that the haudle end of the handle member 12 may be swung to a position disposed in a vertieal plane paralleling but disposed laterally to one side of the path of movement of the push top defined between the wheels 28. Further, the axle member 20 may be of any length necessary to prevent the wheels 28 frorn contacting the handle member 12. Also, the handle member 12 and axle member 20 may be constructed of various shapes or have various shaped coverings attached thereto so as to simulate body portions of animals or the like. Still further, the upper free end of the handle member 12 may be provided with any suitable form of handgrip although in the abseuce of such an additional handgrip the upper terminal end of the handle member 12 above the bulbous portion 14 defines an ample handgrip for manipulation by the user of the top 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the princples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exa-ct construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is clamed as new is as follows:

1. In combiuation, an elongated inclined handle including upper and lower ends, the lower end of said handle being bifurcated and defining a pair of upper and lower endwise outwardly projecting furcations and a channel therebetween opening outwardly through opposite sides of said lower portion, an elongated axle having its central mid-portion pivotally secured between said furcations for oscillation about an axis extending between said furcations, and a pair of wheels journalled on the opposite ends of said axle member for rotation about axes extending longitudinally of said axle member.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the opposing surfaces of said furcations are planar and generally parallel the longitudinal centerline of said handle, the surfaces of said axle opposing said furcations being generally planar and disposed in surface-to-surface sliding contact therewith.

3. T he combination of clairn 1 wherein said wheels are of the disk-type.

4. The combination of claim 1 Wherein said turcations project beyond the axis of oscillation of said axle less than the radius of said wheels.

5. The cornbination of claim 1 wherein the upper end portion of said handle includes a. bulbous enlargement thereon concentrie with the centerline of said handle and upon which arrow indicia are formed pointing opposite directions of angular displacement of said handle a-b0ut its longitudinal axis.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said axle is oscillatably supported between saidurcations by means of a pivot fastener secured through said furcations and said axle.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said handle defines an abutment surface between the base ends of said furcations with which opposite end portions of said axle are engageable for limiting oscillation of said axle relative to said handle.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the opposite ends of said axle include integral endwise outwardly projecting and aligned axle pins upon which said wheels are journalled.

9. The combination of claim 1 Wherein said handle and axle are each generally rectangular in cross sectional shape throughout substantially their entire length.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the opposing surfaces of said furcations are planar and generally parallel the longitudinal centerline of said handle, the surfaces of said axle opposing said furcations being generally planar and disposed in surface-to-surf-ace sliding contact therewith, said furcations projecting beyond the axis of oscillation of said axle less than the -radius of said wheels, said axle being oscillatably supported between said furcations by means of a pivot fastener secured through said furcations and said axle, said handle defining an abutment surface between the base ends of said furcations with which opposite end portions of said axle are engageable for limiting oscillation of said axle relative to said handle, the opposite ends of said axle including integral endwise outwardly projecting and aligned axle pins upon which said wheels are journalled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,160 1/1926 McCollum 46-220 2,759,298 8/1956 Ystenes 46-220 2,647,343 8/1953 Zileri et al. 46-201 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 46-220 

